Spring-wheel.



W. EGKERT.

SPRING WHEEL,

APPLICATION FILED Novp, 1907.

929,572. Patented July 27, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnwsa f y l n u i i l annum?) W. EGKERT. SEEING WHBEL. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1907. 929,572. Y Patented Jury 27, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i Mffafd Ecl/eri wnvronn sonner, or NoRrHWooD, iowa.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ea July av,A 1909.

Application led November 7, 1907. Serial No. 401,184.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, ViNronD Eonnn'r, citizen of the United States, residing at Northwood, in the, county of forth and State of iowa, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in Spring-VVheels, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe present invention has for its object to provide a cushion tire for vehicle wheels and the like, the said tire being constructed entirely of metal and yet possessing all the advantages and'resiliency of a rubber tire.

A further object of the invention is to design an inexpensive tire of this character which can be readily applied to any conventional type of vehicle wheel and will operate in an eliicient manner to absorb all shocks and jars and prevent the same from being transmitted to the vehicle body.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge'of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following"description and accompanying drawings, in which: y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel embodying the invention, portions being' broken away and shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a portion of the rim of the wheel. K Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional View through the rim of the wheel. Fig. l is a detail view of a portion of the inner rim. Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the sections of the outer rim. `Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the flexible band extending around the outer rim of the tire. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the turnbuckle for producing tension in the wire extending through the band, and also showing the key for locking the turnbuckle against working loose.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The cushion tire embodied in the present invention may be applied to any approved type of wheel such as that shown in the drawing, the said wheel comprising a hub 1 and a felly 2, the said hub and felly being connected by the spokes 3. Surrounding the felly 2 is the inner rim lof the cushion tire, the said rim being provided upon each side with an annular flange 5 for engagement with the felly 2.

in the preferred construction the rim i of the tire is formed of a strip of material having the ends thereof connected by a joint 6, such construction admitting of the tire being applied to wheels of various sizes by uitably adjusting the length of the strip.

A pair of annular -grooves7fare formed in the periphery k'of the rim 4 and receive corresponding ribs 8v projecting-inwardly from the outer rim; Vrlhis outer rim comprises a plurality of sections 9a having their adjacent ends loosely connected in any suitable manner and provided upon their outer faces with the lugs 10. Y In the present inst-ance each of these sections 9a is formed of a pair of spaced longitudinal stripsfllconnected at an intermediate point by the cross piece 127 the inner edges of the strips 11 being reduced in width to form the ribs 8 which fit loosely within theqgrooves 7 Whilethe outer edges are formed with ycorresponding projections constituting the lugs 10. A spring 13 is interposed between each of the sections 9a of the outer rim and the'inner rim t, the said springs being received withinrecesses in the inner rim and having one ofi their ends connected to the said inner rim vwhile their opposite ends are connected to the cross pieces 12 of the sections 9a. Extending around ythe sectional outer yrim is achain or flexible'band 14E` comprising the loosely connected blocks 15 each ofwhich is designed to bear against one of the lugs 10 so as to have a rocking movement thereon. Interposed between the various blocks 15 are the bearing members 16 which are shown as being of substantially cylindrical formation and received within correspondingrecesses formed in the adjacent ends of the blocks. A wire or similar flexible member 17 extends loosely through the various blocks 15 and bearing members 16, the two ends of the wire being connected by a turn buckle 1S disposed within one of the blocks 15 which has a hollow formation. By means of this turn buckle the tension in the wire 17 can be adjusted to the required degree and a key 19 is provided for locking the turn buckle against working loose after proper adjustment has been made. The various blocks 15 are loosely connected to the outer rim by means of the link members 2O which hold the blocks against displacement and atA the same time permit them to have a rocking movement upon the lugs to accommodate themselves to the inequalities of road surface For the purpose of preventing mud and dust or other foreign matter from lodging between lthe two rims of the tire or between the outer sectional rim and ithe chain 14 in such a manner asto interfere with the proper operation of -rthe members vguards 21 are applied to opposite sides of fthe wheel. Both ofthe guards are formed of resilient material and have'their inneriedges'secured to the inner rim 4 while ytheir outer edges bear yieldingly against Ithe sides of the chain 14, intermediate portions of the said guard members being pressed outwardly as indicated 'at 22 to vprovide ample clearance space forthe sectional outer rim.

In the operation of the wheel it willbe readily :apparent that owing Tto 'the fact that the various blocks 15 ofthe cha-in or flexible band 14 rock freely uponthe :lugs @10 :the tread o'f the wheel will be enabled xto accommodate itself to slight inequalities of road surface while l'all shocks and jarsare effectively absorbed-or broken by the springs 13 interposed'between the inner rim 4 and thesectional outer rim. n

It will 'be observed that lthe blocks 15 of the ieXible band 14 do `not normally Vcome into actualcontact witheach `other but arev slightly spaced so-fastoiperm'it aiproper rocking movementof the same upon lthe lugs 1() when the tread of lthe -wheel meets with an inequality V'upon the I'road surface. .In Ithis connection it maybe 4noted that while the bearing members I16 vare of approximately cylindrical formation the inner and youter portions-of the same-are slightly flattened so as kto be flush with the :blocks 15. As shown on 'the drawing the bearing members 1Gare providedat their two extremities with lateral ianges '16a received within corresponding-recesses inthe blocks and operating to hold the bearing members against :longitudinal i displacement.

YHaving thus described f theinvention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a spring wheel, the combination of a-rim'provided upon its periphery with lugs,

a plurality of loosely connected blocks sur rounding'thef r1m,-the 'various blocks bearing against the lugs so as to rock thereon, and link members loosely connecting the blocks tothe rim.

2. In a spring wheel, the combination of an inner rim, an outer rim provided upon its periphery with lugs, cushioning means interposed between t-he inner rim and outer rim,

and a plurality Aof `loosely connected blocks surrounding the outer rim and bearing against the lugs so as to rock thereon.

3. In a spring wheel, the combination of an inner rim, an outer rim formed of `a plurality of vlooselyconnected sections, each of the sections being provided with outwardly projecting 'lugs cushioning means interposed between the inner rim and the outer rim, and a plurality of loosely connected blocks surrounding the outer rim and bearing against the lugs so as'to rockthereon.

4. In a spring wheel, the combination lof' an vinner rim, an outer rim formed of a plurality of loosely connected sections, cushioning vmeans interposed between the inner rim and the outer rim, the sections-of theouter rimbeing provided with lugs, a ,plurality of loosely `connected blocks surrounding :the outer rim and bearing against the lugs so as to rock thereon, and link imembers yloosely connecting the blocks tothe outer rim.

5. In a spring wheel, the combination of an inner rim, provided with an annular broove, an outer: sectionalrim provided with an yannular rib `loosely received within the groove, `the said outer rim being provided with lugs, cushioning means interposed between the-innerzrimand-th'e outerrim, and a plurality -of loosely connected vblocks surrounding the outer rim and bearing against the lugs so as to rock thereon.

6. In a spring wheel, the combination of an inner rim, an outer rim provided with lugs, lcushioning means between the outer rim andfinner rim, a pluralityofloosely connectedblo'cks surrounding the outer rimand adapted to rock upon `the lugs, and guard members applied to opposite sides of the inner rim and'engaging the blocks.

`In testimony -whereof IfaiiiX my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

VVINFORD ECKERT [n s] W'itnesses:

`RALPH MARSHALL, DON AMARSHALL. 

